Package tracking label having activation and deactivation tabs

• US 10,108,898 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ballam, Robert Scott, Ganton, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Suezu
• Application Number:
  US15/839,847
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07345 by activating or deactivating at least a part of the circuit on the record carrier, e.g. ON/OFF switches
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07722 the record carrier being multilayered, e.g. laminated sheets flat articles in general, see B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0776 the adhering arrangement being a layer of adhesive, so that the record carrier can function as a sticker
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07773 Antenna details antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07798 part of the antenna or the integrated circuit being adapted for rupturing or breaking, e.g. record carriers functioning as sealing devices for detecting not-authenticated opening of containers electronic seals G09F3/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/242 Tag deactivation

Abstract

A method of tracking a package. The method includes applying a package label to a package in which the package label comprises an antenna circuit, an activation tab configured to activate the antenna circuit, and a deactivation tab configured to deactivate the antenna circuit. The method also includes activating the antenna circuit by removing the activation tab and periodically transmitting a signal by the antenna circuit upon activation. The signal comprises information that identifies the package. The method also includes receiving the signal and using the information in the signal to track a location of the package.

Claims

1. A package tracking label, comprising:

an adhesive layer;

a removable cover on a first side of the adhesive layer;

a substrate on a second side of the adhesive layer opposite the first side of the adhesive layer;

an antenna circuit on the substrate;

a mold layer on the substrate configured to encapsulate the antenna circuit;

an activation tab on the substrate configured to activate the antenna circuit upon removal; and

a deactivation tab on the substrate configured to deactivate the antenna circuit upon removal.

2. The package tracking label of claim 1, wherein the activation tab is connected to the removable cover and configured to be removed with the removal of the removable cover.

3. The package tracking label of claim 1, wherein the antenna circuit is a Bluetooth Low Energy antenna circuit.

4. The package tracking label of claim 1, wherein the antenna circuit comprises a battery, a microprocessor coupled to the battery, and an antenna coupled to the microprocessor.

5. The package tracking label of claim 4, wherein the activation tab is configured to activate a first general purpose input output pin of the microprocessor that enables activation of the microprocessor.

6. The package tracking label of claim 5, wherein the deactivation tab is configured to activate a second general purpose input output pin of the microprocessor that enables deactivation of the microprocessor.

7. The package tracking label of claim 6, wherein the microprocessor is a Bluetooth Low Energy microprocessor configured to control operation of the antenna.

8. The package tracking label of claim 1, wherein the substrate is one of a polyester substrate or a printed screen paper.

9. The package tracking label of claim 1, wherein the deactivation tab is configured to be applied to a package such that the package cannot be opened without removal or breakage of the deactivation tab.

10. A package tracking label, comprising:

an adhesive layer;

a removable cover on a first side of the adhesive layer;

a substrate on a second side of the adhesive layer opposite the first side of the adhesive layer;

means for transmitting a signal on the substrate;

a mold layer on the substrate configured to encapsulate the means for transmitting the signal;

means for activation on the substrate configured to activate the means for transmitting the signal upon removal; and

means for deactivation on the substrate configured to deactivate the means for transmitting the signal upon removal.

11. The package tracking label of claim 10, wherein the means for activation is connected to the removable cover and configured to be removed with the removal of the removable cover.

12. The package tracking label of claim 10, wherein the means for transmitting the signal is a Bluetooth Low Energy antenna circuit.

13. The package tracking label of claim 10, wherein the means for transmitting the signal comprises a battery, a microprocessor coupled to the battery, and an antenna coupled to the microprocessor.

14. The package tracking label of claim 13, wherein the means for activation is configured to activate a first general purpose input output pin of the microprocessor that enables activation of the microprocessor.

15. The package tracking label of claim 14, wherein the means for deactivation is configured to activate a second general purpose input output pin of the microprocessor that enables deactivation of the microprocessor.

16. The package tracking label of claim 15, wherein the microprocessor is a Bluetooth Low Energy microprocessor configured to control operation of the antenna.

17. The package tracking label of claim 10, wherein the substrate is one of a polyester substrate or a printed screen paper.

18. A method of tracking a package, comprising:

applying a package label to a package, the package label comprises an antenna circuit, an activation tab configured to activate the antenna circuit, and a deactivation tab configured to deactivate the antenna circuit;

activating the antenna circuit by removing the activation tab;

periodically transmitting a signal by the antenna circuit upon activation, the signal comprises information that identifies the package; and

receiving the signal and using the information in the signal to track a location of the package.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising deactivating the antenna circuit by removing the deactivation tab.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the signal is a Bluetooth Low Energy signal.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the activation tab is connected to a removable cover and configured to be removed with the removal of the removable cover.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the antenna circuit comprises a battery, a microprocessor coupled to the battery, and an antenna coupled to the microprocessor.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the activation tab is configured to activate a first general purpose input output pin of a microprocessor that enables activation of the microprocessor.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the deactivation tab is configured to activate a second general purpose input output pin of a microprocessor that enables deactivation of the microprocessor.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the deactivation tab is configured to be applied to a package such that the package cannot be opened without removal or breakage of the deactivation tab.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

activating an antenna circuit when an activation tab configured to activate the antenna circuit is removed;

periodically transmitting a signal by the antenna circuit upon activation, the signal comprises information that identifies a package;

receiving the signal and using the information in the signal to track a location of the package; and

deactivating the antenna circuit when a deactivation tab configured to deactivate the antenna circuit is removed.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the signal is a Bluetooth Low Energy signal.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the activation tab is configured to activate a first general purpose input output pin of the processor that enables activation of the processor.